Lisa-Marie Soehngen is one of the group of international students who’ve called Nayland home for a stretch of time after joining us from around the globe. Here she shares her experiences of NZ with us before she heads back to Germany.
To do this the right way, we need to start at the beginning…
The very first impression I got of this country was looking out the window and watching the scenery opening up in front of me. I was absolutely mesmerized but also really exhausted because that’s when the reality of what I was doing hit me…
My first days here started out doing fun stuff with friends and getting to know my host parents. Additionally, everything around me felt strange, considering it can’t be compared to my home country at all. This was just amplified when talking to others because the main topic was always our new situation.
After a few weeks here I had already made heaps of friends and I was fully settled in. Making this life here really enjoyable, I began living in the moment which made me enjoy it even more. Also, even though I developed a routine, nothing was dull and boring. At this time I started learning and understanding a lot about life here and already noticed some changes about myself.
Furthermore, my outdoor education camp was coming up and I went to the Kahurangi National Park. I had never done anything that even came close to this trip…
We walked about 30 km in three days, slept in rock shelters, walking in thigh deep snow, exploring caves and having an amazing time while also learning about the national park. When we got back from the trip, it was time to say goodbye to a few friends and exams were coming up, which made the atmosphere seem tense.
Luckily, the holidays began and I went on a holiday tour on the North Island, giving me the opportunity to do a bungy jump and relax. The second week of holidays was beautiful, spending time with friends every day and just having fun.
Nowadays, I’ve fallen in love with this uniquely beautiful country and life here can’t be compared to anything I’ve ever seen before. The amazing view you have literally everywhere you look, friendly people and an astonishing atmosphere…
By international student Lisa-Marie Soehngen
